Piano-action.



No. 769,907. PATBNTED SEPT. 13, 1904. G. B. KLOGK.

PIANO ACTION.

' APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 2a, 1903.

N0 MODEL, 2 SHEETS-812E311.

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0. B. KLOGK. PIANO ACTION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2a, 1903.

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NO MODEL.

@j lforgcys Wifgzsses UNITED STATES Patented September 13, 1904..

CARL B. KLOOK, OF URBAN,'PENNSYLVANIA.

PIANO-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,907, dated September 13, 1904;. Application filed September 23, 1903. Serial No. 174,330. (No model.)

To all 1077 0711, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL B. KLOOK, aciti- Zen of the United States, residing at Urban, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Piano-Action, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in piano-actions, and has for its principal object to improve the mechanism for imparting movement to the hammer to the end that the hammer-action may be more quickly responsive and at the same time require less effort on the part of the operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a piano-action in which the parts will more quickly assume initial position than is possible in the actions ordinarily used, so that the same note may be repeated with greater rapidity.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse sectional elevation of a portion of an upright piano, illustrating an action constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in position assumed when the key is depressed to effect the hammer-blow and illustrating in dotted lines the positions assumed by the parts when the key has been fully depressed.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout both figures of the drawings.

In the drawings, 1 indicates an ordinary key; 2, a rocker; 3, an abstract or extension, and 4 a hammer. To the upper flange-rail 5 is pivoted a wippen 6, the connection being made by a pivot-pin 10, that extends through the removable flanged bar 11, carried by the rail. To each wippen is secured an upright hammer-carrying arm 12, that is normally maintained in the position shown in Fig. 1 by means of a spring 13, carried by the usual damper-rail 14, lateral play of the arm being prevented by guide-pins 15 and the lever being cushioned on its forward movement by a strip 16, formed of felt, leather, or other suitable material.

To the front of each of the arms 12 is secured a forwardly-projecting lug 17, to the outer end of which is pivoted the butt 18 of the hammer L, and said hammer is normally held against a hammer-rail 19 by means of a spring 20, carried by the arm and engaging the butt of the hammer at a point slightly above the pivotal connection of the butt. The hammer is provided with a dependingshoulder 21, that is covered with a layer of felt or other cushioning material, as indicated at 22, and to this shoulder is attached one end of a bridle 23, the opposite end of which is secured to the rail 14. The bridle is formed of a stout linen cord, which will not wear very readily, is soft and pliable, and not readily affected by changes of climate and temperature. The hammer is provided with a back-stop shank 24, to which is secured a back-stop 25, having its rear face cushioned for engagement with a back-check 26, that is carried by an arm 27, extending vertically from a check-rail 28.

To the lower front portion of the check-rail is secured a pendent flange or arm 29, to which is pivoted a release-lever 30, having at its outer end an adjustable screw 31, carrying a cushioned head 32, with which the wippen comes into contact after the hammer has been forced into engagement with the strings. To the rear end of the release-lever is pivoted the lower end of a fly 33, that is connected near its upper end to a rocker 34 by means of a suitable link 35. The rocker is adjustably mounted on the check-rail in order that the upper end of the fly may be properly adjusted with respect to the butt of the hammer. The fly is normally maintained in elevated position by means of a tension-spring 36, extending between the lower portion of the fly and the link 35, the head of the fly being immediately to the rear of the cushioned shoulder 21 of the hammer-butt. To prevent audible contact between the fly and the wippen, the

latter is preferably provided with a cushionor pad 37 immediately below the lower end of the fly.

To the lower portion of the rail 14 is secured a damper-flange 40, to which is pivoted a damper-lever 4:1, to the head 42 of which is secured a damper 43. The upper end of the damperlever is cushioned by a strip 44: of yielding material carried by the rear face of the rail let, and said damper-lever is normally held in operative position by a spring 15, carried by the rail and bearing against the upper portion of the lever. The lower portion of the lever has an outwardly-projecting pin 46, with which engages a cushion 47, formed of leather or similar material and carried by the rear edge of the wippen-arm, this movement occurring each time the hammer-carrying arm 12 is thrown to the rear.

The lower ends of the several damper-levers are cushioned at 47' for engagement by the forte-pedal bar 18 when it is desired to remove all of the dampers from the strings.

In the operation of the device the depression of the front end of a key will cause upward movement to be imparted to the abstract and-wippen, and the arm 12 will be thrown to the rear with the pivot 10 as a center of movement. This causes the cushion 17 to engage the pin 46 and move the damper from engagement with the strings. Inasmuch as the fly is in engagement with the rear face of the shoulder 21 it will prevent rearward'movement of the shoulder and will form a fulcrum for the movement of the hammer, the power being applied at the point of connection between the flange 17 and the hammer-butt'18. This will force the hammer sharply against the strings before the key is fully depressed, and on continuation of the downward movement of the key the wippen 6 will engage the block 32 and raise the outer end of the release lever, causing downward movement of the fly 33 and its disengagement from the shoulder 21. When this occurs, the spring 20 throws out the hammer-butt and the hammer until the back-stop 25 comes into contact with the back-check 26. On the release of the key the fly33 is immediately raised to its initial position by means of spring 36, and the note may be repeated by again depressing the same key and before either the key or the hammer is restored to initial position. When the key is fully released, the spring 13 causes the parts to assume initial position and the hammer is thrown by the spring 20 into contact with the rail 19. During this movement the spring 45 will force the damper 4E3 into engagement with the strings.

In the operation of the mechanism the arm 12 having responded to the pressure of a key cannot fall back to initial position without also forcing back the hammer. When the key is quickly and completely released after a depression to effect a hammer-blow, the wippen and arm 12 may start to recede to the first position before the hammer can get properly started, the latter being somewhat slow in movement, owing to its own weight and its approximately vertical position. When the arm 12 moves outward from the strings, the spring 20 pushes outward on the butt of the hammer at a point above the pivot-lug 17 and as forward movement continues the bridle 23 will be stretched to its fullest extent between the hammer-rail and the lower end of the butt, whereupon outward movement of the lower end of the butt will cease, while the hammer proper and the upper portion of the butt will still continue to move outward under the pressure of the spring 20, thus restoring the hammer to its initial position.

In the construction of the key it is preferred that the rocker 2-beformed of cast metal or similar heavy material in order to' dispense with the use of lead usually employed as counterweights for the keys, and this is desirable inasmuch as with an action of the character described it is desirable to pivot the keys at a point somewhat nearer the rear end than is usual.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is- 1. In a piano-action, a wippen, a hammer pivotally connected thereto, and movable bodily with the wippen, and a fly forming a ful crum for said hammer.

2. The combination with a hammer, of a wippen to which said hammer is pivotally connected, a key for operating the wippen, and a fly operable by the key after the commencement of the hammer movement and serving as a fulcrum for said hammer.

3. In a piano-action, a hammer, a wippen, means for connecting the same to a key, an arm secured to and movable with the wippen, a lug carried by the arm and pivotally connected to the butt of the hammer, a spring between the arm and the hammer-butt, and a movable key-controlled fly adapted to engage a shoulder on the hammer-butt and to form a fulcrum for said hammer.

4. In a'-piano action, a hammer, a wippen, means for connecting the wippen to a key, an arm secured to and movable with the wippen, a lug carried by said arm and pivotally connected to the hammer-butt, a spring disposed between the butt and the arm, a spring engaging the arm and tending to restore the same to initial position, a key-controlled fly forming a movable fulcrum for the hammerbutt, and means for restoring said fly to initial position when released from the influence of the key.

5. In a piano-action, a hammer, a wippen, an arm connected to the wippen and having a pivotal connection with the hammer-butt, a pendent shoulder carried by the hammer-butt,

a vertically-movable fly, a release-lever connected to the lower end of the fly and operable by engagement of the wippen therewith, and a spring for restoring the fly to initial position.

6. In a piano-action, a hammer, a wippen, an arm secured to the wippen and having pivotal connection with the hammer-butt, a vertically-movable fly for engagement with a shoulder on the hammer-butt, a release-lever pivotally connected to the fly, and an adjustable block carried by the release-lever and disposed in the path of movement of the wippen.

7. In a piano-action, a hammer, a wippen, an arm secured to and movable with the wippen, said arm having pivotal connection with the hammer-butt, a pendent shoulder on the hammer-butt, a movable fly forming a fulcrum for the hammer, an adjustable rocker, a link connecting one end of the rocker to the fly, a pivotally-mounted release-lever having one end pivoted to the fly, and an adjustable block secured to the opposite end of the release-lever and disposed in the path of movement of the wippen.

8. In a piano-action, a hammer, a wippen, an arm secured to the wippen and having pivotal connection with the hammer, a movable fulcrum for the hammer, a hammer-rail, a check-block carried by the hammer, and a check-block stop adapted to be engaged by the check-block in advance of the return of the hammer to the rail.

9. In a piano-action, a hammer, a movable fulcrum therefor, and a key-actuated means for successively moving the hammer bodily against the strings and then moving the fulcrum from engagement with the hammer.

10. In a piano-action, a hammer, a Wippen, an arm secured to the wippen and having pivotal connection with the hammer, a damperrail, a flange carried thereby, a damper-lever pivotally connected to the flange, inter-engaging means between the wippen-arm and the damper-lever for actuating said lever in advance of contact between the hammer and the strings, and a fly forming a fulcrum for said hammer.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CARL B. KLO GK.

Witnesses:

A. S. BUBB, FELIX K. SNYDER. 

